Method of manufacture of coke and producer gas



Nov. 20, 1934. w. A. RIDDELL 1,931,003

METHOD OF MANUFACTURE OF COKE AND PRQDUCER GAS I Original Filed Dec. 26, 1930 INVEN TOR.

BY U ATTORNEY,

Patented Nov. 20,

' UNITED STATES The Frederick Iron & Steel Company, Frederv I ick. Md.,- a corporation of Maryland g Original application December. 26, 1930, Serial'No.

504,945. Divided and this application Februmy 25, 1932', Serial No. 595,151

1 Claim.

My invention relates broadly to an apparatus for manufacturing coke and producer gas.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 504,945, filed December 26, 1930 5 for Method and apparatus for producing. coke and gas, and which has matured into Patent No. 1,944,192.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a simplified method of manufacturing coke l and producer gas wherein coal is automatically fed at a predetermined rate to a degasification chamber and subjected to a distillation process over a predetermined time period and then discharged to a quenching tank from which'the coke is withdrawn.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved method for subjecting coal during a progressive feeding operation to heat for distilling gases from the coal and discharging the gases thus generated to a producer gas SYS-e tem while discharging the cokeat high temperature to a quenching tank from which it is withdrawn.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a method of manufacturing coke and producer gas wherein coal is progressively supplied to a degasification chamber to drive off the gases from the coal and forming coke which is discharged at high temperature into a quenching 3 tank, and wherein a portion of the gases derived from the degasification process is utilized after starting for the continued heating of the coal during a continuous distillation process.

Other and further objects of my invention 35 reside in the method for generating producer gas and manufacturing coke as set forth more fully in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which the single figure is a sectional elevation taken centrally through a preferred form of apparatus which may be employed in carrying out the method of my invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, reference character 1 designates a hopper for receiving 45. the coal which is supplied to the coking and producer gas system. The hopper 1 is mounted upon the frame 2 which also provides mounting means for the driving motor 3 and the reduction gear 4. The screw conveyor 5 extends beneath the hopper l and through the coal receiving throat, terminating in the coal feeding tube 6 as shown. The conveyor 5 has a hollow shaft 5a through which air is admitted under pressure through pipe line 7. A portion of the coal feeding tube 6 is perforated at 8 and surrounded by an annular chamber 9. "through which steam is admitted through pipeline 10. The supply of air throughipipe'line '7 is controlled by valve 7a and similarly'the supply of steam through pipe line 10 is controlled by 'valve 10a. The coal is subjected to steam through the apertures 8 preparatory to the entrance of the coal .into the degasification chamber which I have designated at 11. The degasification chamberll is an extension of the coal feeding tube 6 and is perforated as indicated at 12 for permitting. gases to seep therethrough into the space defined by the tubular, concentric envelope indicated at 13. The envelope 13 is concentrically surrounded by the casing 14 having a closed head 15 supported from thecoal feeding tube 6 as indicated at 16. 5 The "casing 14 provides a combustion chamber around the degasification chamber and is provided with a refract'orylim'ng 17 with refractory endportions 17a and 172) as shown for confining the heat directly against the tubular envelope 13 and adjacent the degasification chamber 11."'Gases which are distilled off from the coal in the degasification chamber 11 pass through the screen 18 and into the gas accumulator 19. :The coal supplied to the degasification chamber ll is subjected toheat treatment'while the coal is progressively fed toward the mouth of the degasification chamber 11. The mouth of the degasification chamber 11 is provided with a restrictive orifice 20 which tends to retard the movement of the coal through the degasification chamber 11 whereby distillation of the coal is completed and coke is formed which is discharged into the tube 21 through which the glowing particles of coke drop to the quenching tank 22 into which the lower end of tube 21 is submerged as shown at 23. The coke gravitates to the apex 24 of the quenching tank into which the screw conveyor 25 extends, the same being driven from bevel gear 26 for elevating the coke to the discharge spout for ultimate delivery into the cars 28. The bevel gear 26 is driven from bevel gear 29 carried by shaft 30 which is driven through bevel gearing 31 from shaft 32 which is in turn driven from the reduction gearing 4 as shown. The gas accumulator 19 is provided with an outlet 33 leading to suit-' able producer gas storage tanks or points of utilization, not shown.

A safety valve 34 is provided in the accumulator 19 to prevent the establishment of injurious pressures which may be created during the quenching process by reason of the descending glowing coke striking the water of the quenching tank 22 and thereby generating steam. The steam mixes with the gas entering the accumulator through the screen 18 and a portion of the mixture thus produced passes through the filter screen 35 into the pipe line 36 and through valve 3'7 and valve 38 to the multiple jet burner 39 in the combustion chamber 14, as shown.

In order to support combustion, air is supplied through pipe line'40 in required amounts under control of valve 41 to the multiple jet 39. An igniter in the form of a spark plug is provided at 42 adjacent the multiple jet 39. The arrangement described is utilized for maintainin'gthe multiple jet in operation after the gas accumulator has been started. In order to start the system, valve 3'7 is initially closed .1 and combustible gas supplied from pipe line 43 through valve 44 to the multiple jet 39. After the generation of gas starts the valve 44 is closed: and valve 37 opened for maintaining a continuous heating cycle by consuming apart of the gas which is generated in the distillation of the coal. The refractory lining '17---17a'17b serves to concentrate the combustion immediately around the tubular envelope 13, thus subjecting the coal in tube 11 to conditions of high temperature The exhaust products are discharged through pipe line 50 arranged to exhaust the burned gases from the combustion chamber 14. I provide means for clearingout any accumulation which may occur between tubes 11 and 13 as shown by the annular ring member 45 connected through pipe line 46 under control of valve 47. The annular ring 45 is perforated around one side thereofas shown at 48, thereby enabling. jets of air to beprojected longitudinally along the concentric tubes. 11and13 for blowing out any accumulation. or inci'ustations, due to formation of coal tar pitch.

It will be observed that motor. 3 simultaneously drives the conveyors 5 and 25. It is important to note that gaseous products generated within the tube 6 prior to the positioningof the coal within the area-of the distilling chamber may develop a tendency to back up and escape by way of the feed hopper. It will moreover be ob-. served that this contingency can bereadily .overcoke.

come by injecting air through the hollow shaft of the coal conveyor, thus driving such gases towards the foraminations within the distilling chamber. The restriction orifice 20 for the tube 11 is shaped to providethat degree of retarding necessary to subject the coal to the required heat treatment for effecting the distillation from the The screens 18 and 35 prevent the back firing of the gases accumulated in the storage chamber 19 thus avoiding injury to parts of the system. The amounts of air, gas and steam are selectively controllable by the adjustment of valves 7a, 1011,;41 and 38. The valves are adjusted to secure the greatest operating efiiciency and this may be changed from time to time to "meet'varying conditions as they arise.

While I have described the method of my invention and the process of manufacturing coke ;and producer gas therewith in one of its preferred embodiments, I desire that it be understood that modifications may be made and that no limitations upon myinvention are intended other than are imposed by the scope of the appended claim. .What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United:States is as follows:

The method of manufacturing coke and gas, which comprises progressively feeding coal through a tube having a perforated portion, passing air and steam through the tube in the direction in which the coal moves to accelerate degasification of the coal, subjecting the coal to a distillation temperature during movementof the coal through the perforated portion of the tube for degasifying theboalfheatingthe gas drivenfromjthe tube through perforations thereof to prevent sudden cooling of the gas, deliveringthe gas into an accumulator, quenching coke resulting from the distillation'of the coal to form steam which mixes with gas in the accumulator, and utilizing a portionof the mixed gas' and steam for supporting combustion around the coal in the tube for the continuous distillation of gas and forming of coke therefrom.

WILLIAM A. RIDDELL. 

